She awoke bound to a bed in an unfamiliar room. One man & one woman were sitting beside her, but she felt relieved at their Urasaria badges.

"Was t-there a Revenant?" she panted, and the man stood up, middle-aged, wearing a white robe with black splotches. Mia heard a phone vibrating on the cornertable.

"Probably someone calling." he said, gesturing to the woman, young with pink-hair & a marching band uniform.

"I'll check it." she said and walked away.

"You're in Urasaria's infirmary." said the robed man. "Assuming you know what that is."

"Y-Yes." Mia nodded. "I-I think someone attacked me, or -"

" - it's her mom." said the pink-haired woman, vibrating phone in-hand.

"C-Can I speak to her?" said Mia.

"Not yet." The robed man shook his head. "Symphony, tell her to call the infirmary. Saya'll get it."

"Works for me." shrugged the pink-haired woman. Her badge read 'SYMPHONY'.

"She'll know you're safe here." he yawned. "Need to ask you questions, first. Name?"

"Mia, Mia Schultz - er - only one Mia." Near the edge of her sight, she saw Symphony stifling a laugh.

"…right. Any relation to Stefan?"

"Y-Yes. I'm his daughter."

"This shit's boring." said Symphony as she came over. "Ask her about -"

- the door knocked, and a woman's voice came. "Hirogane, I need help with patients, please."

The robed man gestured to Symphony as he went out & shut the door.

"Anyway." said Symphony. "I already know your name, so let's skip the - I mean, unless you have brain damage or some shit."

"I… don't believe so." Mia winced. "Why am I restrained?"

"Because you have a Revenant."

"What? I-I don't have a Revenant."

"Uh, yeah, you do. Already got somebody to confirm it." Symphony shrugged. "Anyway, you've got three options. You can get it removed, attend Urasaria, or-"

"- I'm - I'm sorry, but I-I don't have a Revenant -"

"- uh, you do. I just said that." said Symphony, relevantly. "It's just not active yet. You can't even use it, so -"

" - no, I-I was tested when I was younger - I don't even have the Volgari protein gene. When, when I was younger - I can't even host a Revenant -"

" - uh, right." Symphony sighed & sat down. She wasn't a woman of a patient nature, and took it as a rigid law that anything involving work should be left to someone else - usually Aimee. "Well, I'm still not gonna untie you until Hirogane gets back."

Mia frowned as Symphony pulled her own phone out and continued.

"Anyway, you've got three choices. You can get it removed, you can attend Urasaria, or you can go fight in, uh, Iran or some shit." said Symphony, glancing between her phone's camera & Mia's legs. She was a visually-inclined woman and judged most lesbians by a tape measure.

The door opened, and in stepped a butch woman, face like a chipped stone & unevenly cut black hair, tattered denim vest, badge that read 'MAD DOG'. "Hey. What's going on?"

"A big mystery." said Symphony, who Aimee knew as Makoto. "Chick says she doesn't have a Revenant. Hirogane says she does, but it's not active."

"…uh. Right." she muttered, sitting down beside. Symphony's face grinned over her shoulder as she smiled nervously to Mia. "My name's, u-um, Aimee Sato. Urasaria's student body president."

"Rank #1." chimed Symphony.

Aimee nervously laughed. "Yeah. Uh. What's your name?"

Mia breathed deep. "…Mia Schultz."

Aimee nodded, but her pause told Mia she knew about her father too. "Alright. You said her Revenant's not active anyway, right?"

"Not yet, anyway." said Makoto. "Just found her outside unconscious. She says she got attacked."

"Right." said Aimee, placing her hands on Mia's restraints. "Uh. Probably pretty uncomfortable, right? Lemme undo these."

Mia nodded as Aimee unbound her. "T-Thank you."

"Sure." Aimee smiled. "Uh, so, you're in Urasaria's infirmary. You're safe here, u-um. Do you wanna talk about what happened?"

"…Y-Yes. G-Give me a minute, please." After a minute, she said: "All I remember was - I was walking home, a-and someone grabbed me from behind, and I fell unconscious. I-I woke up here."

"Yeah. Did you, um, have a Revenant before this? It's okay if you do since we know it isn't active. Won't get in trouble for that. Promise."

"A-Are you absolutely sure I have a Revenant? Because I just - I don't understand how I could have a Revenant, I - I don't have the… gene. F-For Volgari proteins." She saw Aimee's eyes wonder if she was lying, and now she worried she'd lost her sympathy.

"…alright. Do you have, uh… records of that?"

"My mother will. Alina Schultz."

"Okay. Makoto, can you go tell Hirogane to get that?"

"Sure thing, Lady Aimee." said Makoto and stepped out.

Aimee disliked the nickname, but showing that would've encouraged her. While she understood why Makoto had never had a girlfriend, she still liked her - maybe only because they'd spent a year as roommates.

A bit of anxiety came up in her being alone with Mia; like many lesbians, she had an unfortunate habit of throwing her thoughts in to a woman's basket before she knew her sexuality, and a persistent superstition of coming on too strongly.

"…u-uh." muttered Aimee. "S-So, you do have a Revenant. We have someone that confirmed that, but if you don't have the gene…"

"…I don't know how. I-I don't know how."

"Hey, it's - it's alright, right?" said Aimee. "I'm sure there's some explanation. Right? Maybe you're… you know, a medical marvel, right?"

"I-If only." laughed Mia, and Aimee smiled.

"Just, uh - medical marvel that got dropped off right at the gates." She laughed nervously, trying to keep her hands silent. "But, just gotta wait for now, uh. Sure you're telling the truth, but maybe just missed something. In the meantime, do you want anything? Something to drink? Um - a t-thousand bucks?"

Mia laughed. "Water, p-please."

"Sure thing."

Aimee went out to the main infirmary, then went over to knock at Saya's door.

"Come in." said her voice and Aimee stepped inside, black-haired & modestly-dressed medic at her desk. "Mad Dog. Do you need something?"

"Just a glass of water."

Saya took an empty glass out of her desk, frowning as she held her right hand over it. "…Blackburn hasn't replenished yet. Give me a minute, please."

"Sure thing." Aimee sat down. "Is uh, Luna not here today?"

Saya smiled. "She is, but she asked for time alone to practice socializing with patients."

Aimee nodded, but figured the infirmary's freckled chef was likely cooped up in her office. It was known around Urasaria that it took Saya to get anything out of Luna - whether they were best friends or best girlfriends was something speculated but never certain. "How's that going?"

Saya tapped the glass, fog appearing on her right hand.  Blackburn's fog flew in & filled the cup with water. "She's… still in her office, I believe. I should go check on her."

Aimee smiled as she took the glass & the two went back out. Makoto & Hirogane came up to her.

"Mother says she doesn't have a Revenant, and she doesn't have the Volgari gene." said Hirogane. "Asked her to fax over the test result."

"Yeah, after she finds a fax machine in an antique store or some shit." said Makoto.

Aimee laughed. "Probably, yeah. Still. Can tell she's not dangerous."

"Uh, except to you." grinned Makoto as Hirogane walked off. "Gonna ask for some alone time?"

"Wouldn't mind it." muttered Aimee, and she & Makoto went back to Mia holding her phone.

"E-Er, I-I took it back." she said, and Aimee nodded as she handed her the glass.

"Um, mom might've told you, but they asked for the test result."

"She's going down to, er, a local library for their fax machine."

"Figured. Guess she, uh - at least she didn't have to look in an antique store, right?" said Aimee, and Mia smiled.

"Yes."

Given that Makoto had never had a girlfriend, Aimee realized she shouldn't have stolen the joke. One was hopeless due to her personality and the other her appearance, and if Makoto wasn't so stubborn, she might've put her luckier half of things to use.

"Good one, Aimee." chimed Makoto.

Any other time, Aimee would've joshed Makoto over it, but in front of a woman like Mia felt a need to hide any of her personality that might've been taken offensively. About the only thing she felt confident in was fighting, though her Revenant was the type of ability where she sometimes worried her being rank #1 could've been achieved by *anyone* hosting it.

Out of her eyes' corners, she saw Makoto eyeing Mia. Aimee was rarely a sexual woman, even disgusted by it at times. She might've felt a bit envious if she didn't know her best friend's sheets usually covered thoughts of any feminine woman, not specifically Mia. Makoto had once said that her first month at Urasaria had left her with pruned fingers for a year. Never before had another lesbian's words left such a visceral & graphic import in Aimee's mind.

The door opened, and Hirogane stepped in holding a sheet of paper. "S'legitimate - she didn't have Volgari proteins before, and she has them now." He glanced at Mia. "You got tested when you were sixteen."

Mia nodded. Her pillow had been damp the entire week after that result.

"Any idea what that means?" said Aimee.

"Medical marvel, or another Revenant gave it to her." said Hirogane. "She doesn't have a Penxeno allergy, either. Already checked with Pulse."

Mia spoke up. "Er, does - does that mean I do have a Revenant now?"

"You do." said Hirogane.

"…shit." muttered Makoto. "What the fuck?"

"Um, Mia." said Aimee and turned. "You know what that means, right? Volgari gene and all that?"

Mia nodded, a little excited.

"She did go to highschool, you know." said Hirogane. "Presumably."

Aimee saw Makoto smirking at that one. Someday, she was going to put up a sign outside Urasaria's gate - 'HOME TO 99 STUDENTS & 3 JACKASSES'. "Uh, yeah, but - just want to make her c-comfortable."

Mia smiled. "It helps. Thank you."

"Sure thing." Aimee grinned like a sheep.

"Yep." chimed Makoto. "That's our president. Super nice. And she's really good at eating -"

" - someone dropped her off at the front gate, then." said Hirogane. "Renault's cameras should have seen who. I'll let him know." He walked out.

Aimee nodded, trying to keep her comforting streak going. "Yeah, um. We'll find out what happened, and make sure you're safe. Right?"

"T-Thank you." said Mia. "What happens now, then?"

"Uh, s-sorry, but… They're not gonna let you leave Urasaria until we find out."

"That's alright."

"Yeah. But, um - probably just get to stay here, and the food's pretty good. Right?"

"I haven't tried it yet." said Mia, and Aimee laughed nervously.

"O-Oh. Uh. I-If you want, I can get something for you. But, uh - if your Revenant activates, tell someone right away."

"Er, how will I know when it activates?"

"You hear its name." said Makoto. "Shit's impossible to miss."

"Loudest thought you'll ever have." laughed Aimee. "You'll feel stronger, too. Reaction times speed up, stuff like that. After that, uh… You'll probably go with Urasaria, right?"

"Or the Middle East." chimed Makoto, relevantly.

"…I-I don't know yet, but…" murmured Mia, knowing she wouldn't join the military. "…I can still have it removed, right?"

"...yeah." said Aimee. "But, uh. Urasaria's… It's, it's good. If you don't want to - whatever makes you comfortable."

Mia nodded. "May I call my mother?"

"Sure, yeah. Um, you can, u-um - what do you want to eat? K-kinda forgot to ask."

"Er, just milk, if that's alright. I-I'm not very hungry."

Aimee nodded and took her glass. "Sure thing. Be back in a few minutes."

"Gonna get something, too." yawned Makoto, stepping out with her. She grinned at Aimee once the door closed. "Jeeeez."

"S-Shut up." laughed Aimee.

"You might as well just write 'Please Sit Here' on your face."

"Yeah-yeah." muttered Aimee as they came to Saya's office.

"I mean, I'm trying to wingwoman you, but Hirogane interrupted -"

" - yeah, by making a sex joke." laughed Aimee, and Makoto slurped. "Come on." She knocked at Saya's door, realizing a second later where she was. She'd resolved to look like an idiot all day.

"Probably with her girlfriend." yawned Makoto, walking over to Luna's office. "Speaking of 'Please Sit Here'."

Aimee frowned and followed her. Makoto was one of the few who joked about Saya & Luna, and had never met a joke too dirty to tell. "C'mon."

"Who do you think's the top?"

It always perplexed Aimee when lesbians borrowed terms from gay men, but no matter. "She's going to hear you some day."

Makoto laughed. "And do what? Fill my throat with knives?"

"She could. Probably would be a pretty good student if she wanted to be."

"Uh, does Blackburn even desensitize her? She's a total pacifist." said Makoto. "You know, I never get those people who sign up so they can actually arrest hosts."

"You know Saya didn't sign up."

"I'm not talking about her, I'm talking about those nonlethal weirdos. Someone attacks you and you're still not gonna spray their guts two streets away? Fuck that."

Aimee shrugged. "Uh, they're a pretty self-eliminating bunch, Makoto."

"Yeah, but you don't know if your girlfriend in there is."

Aimee's eyes rolled as they kept walking. She even agreed with Makoto, but clearly, someone needed to externalize their frustration today. Aimee was just the opposite; she internalized everything and grew ulcers.